More Than 90% of World’s Children Don’t Breathe Clean Air, WHO Reports

What this means is a large number of older cars will no longer be permitted to ply on Delhi-NCR roads, and to comply with the Supreme Court's order, the transport department is expected to launch a major drive to impound older vehicles.

The Court also gave liberty to the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to take pre-emptive steps under the Graded Response Action Plan without strict adherence to pollution stages delineated in the plan.

Many vehicle owners are unhappy with the court's decision as they feel that a well maintained auto, even if older than 10 years in case of diesels and older than 15 years in case of petrols, will pollute much lesser than improperly maintained, younger cars. They have no option but to work outside to earn a living. You can not tell them that you stop your work because it is unsafe for you to work in the morning.

It said a rickshaw puller can not be told to remain inside his home and not work outside to earn his livelihood.

The Court also observed that a note prepared by the Chairman of EPCA and the photographs attached to the note indicated a fairly bad state of affairs with regard to pollution in various parts of Delhi.

The bench perused a note prepared by EPCA chairman Bhure Lal, who has highlighted the issue of rampant garbage burning in several parts of Delhi, including Bawana, Narela, Dwarka, Nangloi and Mundka.

"It is for this reason, we are compelled to pass the above orders in the first instance", the Court noted. The following study took data from around 194 countries dealing with toxic air problems where India topped the list as it witnessed the deaths of at least 1 lakh children who were below the age of five.

The CPCB will immediately make social media account on which citizens can complain about pollution, the top court ordered.

"Air quality index will be in the upper level of very poor for the next three days". They (authorities) have got a good excuse in crop burning today.

The SAFAR said about 28 per cent of pollution by PM2.5 (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) on Tuesday was caused due to regional factors like stubble burning.